I2: Feet of Clay

[Will Stanton]

"You've always seemed perfectly normal to me," said the grown man dressed like Willy Wonka, living inside a magic box inside Will's head.

[Samantha McManus]

"...right. Anyway, I'm going to go tell Will his head is... free of infestation."

[Will Stanton]

"Don't be a stranger!" he said...with a bit of longing?

[Samantha McManus]

"I'll be back, honestly!"

She begins her careful withdrawal from Will's mind.

[Will Stanton]

Again, there's no barrier, no resistance, and hardly any sensation. Just, pop, back in the real world.

"Am I OK?" Will asked, looking up at Sam.

[Samantha McManus]

"Well there... were some nasties in there? Emphasis on the past tense. Your defenses cleaned out the last of them before I got there."

[Will Stanton]

"That's a relief. If you say so, I'm sure I'm safe."

[Samantha McManus]

"I didn't want to... do too much more than that right now, aye?"

"You're tired, I'm tired, it's just important that you're... out of the woods, and all."

[Will Stanton]

"Ooh, I didn't even think you might be exhausted," she said, struggling up to her elbows.

"Can I do something for you?"

[Samantha McManus]

"...Will, you're the one who was abducted by murder gnomes."

[Will Stanton]

"Yeah, but I'm pretty tough. I only screamed, like, five times," she grinned, weakly.

[Samantha McManus]

"Get some rest. I'll be here."

[Will Stanton]

"Alright, Sam. Pleasant dreams."

[Samantha McManus]

"More worried about yours," she says with a faint smirk, settling back into the chair.

[Will Stanton]

Will just smiled back up at her, before lying back on the bed, and falling into a somewhat fitful, though much easier than earlier, sleep.